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Clark's Cup-Tie Conclusion

Lee Clark admitted his team received a first-half wake-up call before responding in tremendous fashion to eventually cruise into the next round of the Capital One Cup this evening.

League Two side Barnet stunned the St. Andrew’s faithful by taking the lead as Blues started slowly but the hosts produced a much-improved display after the break to run out comfortable 5-1 winners.

“We didn’t cause them enough problems, even though we had one or two chances, but the tempo of our passing wasn’t creating enough spaces in the Barnet backline,” commented Clark. “We just had to change one or two things at half-time and the players and myself were in agreement over what was required.

“The lads responded well in the second half and not only did we score four goals but we haven’t given them much of a sight of our goal either, which is very important. We had to move the ball quicker and make the Barnet defence tire so that gaps started to appear. When we did that we looked a very potent outfit and I’ve got to praise the players for that.

“They are a great, honest bunch of lads and the reason they are top quality players is because they have high demands of themselves - they knew that the first-half was not what we’re all about.”

Summer signing Darren Ambrose bagged the goal of the night with an exquisite 20-yard curler. Clark added: “I was right behind it when he struck it and it was as sweet as a nut. He’s averaged double figures in the last four or five years and that was one of the reasons that I wanted to bring him here.

“If you want to be a promotion-winning team then you have to get goals from different areas of the pitch. You don’t just rely on your strikers, although both of them have got on the scoresheet tonight as well which was another pleasing aspect of the game.”

Meanwhile, Clark confirmed that young debutant Will Packwood, who was covering for the injured skipper Stephen Carr, and Ravel Morrison had both come off due to niggles. He also admitted that Carr was unlikely to be fit for Saturday’s league opener against Charlton at St. Andrew’s, so the boss could have a decision to make over who fills the right-back berth.

The reason they are top quality players is because they have high demands of themselves.